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Mar23Comments Off
Money market accounts will often offer higher rates than the savings rates earned with traditional savings accounts. Savings rates usually hover between 0.5-2 percent, but money market accounts can often hover between 1.5-2.5 percent. Here are a few tips to help you invest in money market accounts.
Money Market Accounts Earn Strong Interest
People who invest in money market accounts are basically choosing to have a premium account. These accounts are commonly referred to as MMAs. Money Market Accounts operate differently than Money Market Funds, which are actually baskets of securities contained in mutual funds.The bank will invest the money you put into money market accounts, but you won’t have to worry about it, because these are conservative investments. Money market accounts essentially guarantee interest.
Usually, banks will place these funds in conservative investments such as Treasury bills, CDs, or other safe types of investments.What’s the Payoff?
The bank chooses these investments because they are short term and low risk investments. The payoff is that you receive a slightly higher interest rate than with traditional savings accounts.The FDIC will insure money market accounts for up to $100,000. Some big corporations will offer money market accounts with extremely high yields. Keep in mind that these accounts may not be insured by the federal government. If one of these companies tanks, then your money will disappear.
Restrictions on Money Market Accounts
You will have to face some restrictions with your money market account. You will not have access to liquid funds as easily as with a checking account. Most money market accounts also require a minimum initial deposit and a minimum balance.You can make withdrawals from these accounts, but there are some restrictions. Choose money market accounts as a higher, better alternative to savings accounts, as long as you have the funds to maintain the minimum balance.
Money market accounts pay off a good interest rate to patient investors.
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Mar16Comments Off
Health savings accounts are a type of savings account that give people tax benefits and ease health care expenses. Many American taxpayers are capitalizing on these bank accounts so that they can reduce health care costs. Here’s a primer on health savings accounts.
First of all, you need to meet some minimum qualifications to open health savings accounts.These are the qualifications:
The Criteria
*You must be at least 18 years old.
*You must not have been claimed as a dependent by a third party on their tax return in the past two years.
*You cannot receive Medicare benefits or be enrolled in Medicare.
*You must possess a high-deductible health care plan.
*You cannot own or have any health coverage besides this high-deductible health care plan.
If you can meet the five points listed above, then you qualify for a health savings account.
Higher Deductibles Means Lower Premiums
Basically, if you pay a higher than typical annual deductible you own a high-deductible health care plan. All patients have to pay some sort of deductible, but low-income patients who rely on government support usually pay a very tiny deductible.If you pay a high deductible, you’ll get lower monthly premiums. As health care costs increase, you might find that a high-deductible plan works out a lot better than a high-premium plan.
Where to Open an HSA
You can open an HSA at a bank or any institution that is qualified to be a trustee of IRAs. There are deposit limits to HSAs, but you can also rollover funds from your IRA.An HSA will ease your tax burden and help you save crucial money for health care expenses.
